Spring lock



July 26. 1927.

w. DE GROQT SPRING LOCK Filed 0ct 20, 1926 Patented July 26, 1927.

WILLIAM" on tumor," or} oennu UTAH.

srnme 'noox.

Application filed October 20, 1926.

This invention relates to spring locks and it has for its to object provide an improved device of this character embodying a simple and effective latch for holding the tumblers 6 of the lock out of action.

Spring locks of the character herein shown and described are largely employed upon tool chests, trunks, satchels, bags and like containers for the use of homes, mechan- 19 ics or travelers. Where no means are employed for holding the spring lock out of action, it i necessary for the owner of the trunk or satchel to use a key every time the trunk is to be opened, which causes a great deal of unnecessary trouble where the trunk is located in ones own home where the necessity of keeping it locked is not present. There are many other occasions upon which it is unnecessary to secure the lock and upon those occasions the latch of the present invention will hold the tumblers of the lock out of action to permit the lifting of the lid freely, and without the employment of a ke in the accompanying drawing Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a lock constructed in accordance with the invention.

Fig. 2 is a face view of said lock with parts thereof broken away and showing the same in locked position.

Fig. 3 is a view like Fig. 2 but showing the tumbler held out of action by the latch of the present invention and Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional View of said lock.

Like numerals designate corresponding parts in all of the figures of the drawing.

In the drawing, 5 designates the body of the lock and 6, the tumblers thereof. These tumblers are pivoted at 7 and are spring actuated by means of leaf springs 8, said springs tending to move the upper ends of said tumblers toward each other. The lock is carried by a. wall 9 of the structure to be locked. The lid of this structureis indicated at 10. This lid carries a plate 11 having the depending keepers 12, said keepers having openings 13 formed therein, within which the noses 14 of the latches, engage. The upper faces of said noses are bevelled off as indicated at 15 so that when the lid is closed the tumblers will be thrust outwardly against the action of the springs 8 and snap into the opening 13 when the lid has been completely closed. The keyhole 16 is dis- Serial No. 142,936.

posed in such position that by the insertion of a key therein the wards of the key may be caused to act against the lower portions of the tumblers to thrust them away from each other and thereby release the keepers 12. A latch plate 16 of such resiliency as to be frictionally held in adjusted position, has limited vertical movement in a slot 17 formed in the wall of the look. A thumb or finger piece 18 provides means for moving the latch up or down as the case may be. When this latch is in its upper position a horizontal flange, 19, thereof, lies above shoulders 20 of the tumblers and said tumblers are permitted to move toward each other and to the positionillustrated in Fig. 2. but when the latch is forced downwardly, to its lower position, the flange 19 is moved to such position as to lie between the shoulders 20 and hold the tumblers in the position illustrated in Fig. 3, so that they can not move inwardly and engage with the keepers 12. This position of the tumblers is maintained as long. as'the latch remains in its lowered position.

While, for purposes of explanation, I have described the device in particular relation to its use upon a trunk, it is to be understood that the lock is of general application and that the invention covers its use upon any desired type of container.

It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the precise construction set forth but that it includes within its purview whatever changes fairly come within either the terms or the spirit of the appended claims.

Having described my invention what 1 claim is:

1. A look of the character described comprising a body portion, a pair of spring actuated tumblers pivoted forswinging movement at their lower ends and beveled at their upper ends, keepers adapted to be engaged by the upper ends of said tumblers, there being a keyhole in said body portion adapted to receive a key to force said tumblers apart by turning movement, and a vertically slidable latch operable manually and wholly independent of the action of said key upon the tumblers from the exterior of the lock, in such manner as to hold said tumblers apart, after they are brought to open position.

2. A look of the character described comprising a body portion adapted to receive a key, a pair of tumblers pivoted at their loWer ends and beveled at their upper ends, said beveled ends being spring actuated 5 toward each other, shoulder portions upon said tumblers, and a latch manually operable at Will from the exterior of the lock Wholly independent of key action, into position between said shouldervv portions to hold them in fixed position, after they have 10 been brought to open position.

In testimony whereof I afilx my signature.

WILLIAM DE GROOT. 

